ABUSE FIGHTERS GET A HAND(BOOK)

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Robert Dempsey Friday unveiled the state's latest weapon in the war against child abuse -- a 330- page "juvenile handbook" for use by law enforcement agents and social workers.

The handbook is designed to help officers deal with the often-touchy problem of crimes committed against or by juveniles. It briefly outlines state law, terminology, suggested procedure and many other items for such subjects as sexual abuse of children, juvenile delinquency and juvenile suicide.

"The idea is to bring those who are dealing with children, as professionals, and make them aware of what's available to them in a very simple handbook form, rather than them having to go through all the statutes, all the research, all the publications," Dempsey said. "It synthesizes all the kinds of things a law enforcement officer, a social welfare officer, an attorney or ajudge has to deal with regularly, so they can come up with answers very quickly."

The handbook will be sent to officers and social workers throughout the state. It received good grades from the first officers who had a chance to review it.